The Best Foods To Eat Before Your Workout

If you’ve ever made the mistake of not eating before training, there is a good chance you might have experienced that feeling of being light headed and fatigued way too early during your workout session. Not eating before a session could also leave you with low blood sugar.

It is really ideal to have the right level of energy in your body so that you can stay healthy, train harder in your workout sessions and make better progress.
What foods should you eat before your workout?
Easy to digest natural foods that are high in carbohydrates and protein and low in fat. Try to eat 1 to 4 hours before your workout and if it’s first thing in the morning generally it’s better to eat a small portion size before your workout.

Here are some foods that are easily available, also quick and easy to have before your session:

Banana
A medium size banana works really well, as its a good natural source of carbohydrates plus if also has potassium which helps to maintain your muscle and nerve function.

Natural Yoghurt
Natural yoghurt is easy to access and a nice source of protein, and easily digested.

Yoghurt on its own would not be ideal, it would be recommended to add some more carbohydrate such as fruit, as this will provide you with the fuel your body needs for your upcoming workout session.

Half a cup of natural Greek yoghurt would generally be a good amount to have.

I would also recommend exploring different brands to find out what you like best. Some of my favorite brands include Yeo Valley Natural Organic Greek Yoghurt and Rachel’s Natural Organic Greek Yoghurt.

Porridge
Porridge is a good source of carbohydrate and it also contains Vitamin Bs, which helps turn carbohydrate into energy. Porridge is also a good source of fibre which helps to slowly release energy into your body. You can have porridge with milk or water depending on your diet, but try not to add sugar or salt.
I sometimes like to add a small amount of fruit, nuts, seeds or peanut butter to my porridge.

It’s recommended that you eat between 20 to 30 grams of fibre a day. Excessive fibre, for example more than 50 grams daily, is not good for you as it can cause food to travel through your system at a faster pace, whilst not giving your body enough time to absorb the nutrients. It could also make you feel bloated and you may also have a lot of gas and cramps.

Wholemeal Bread
A slice of wholemeal bread is also a good source of carbohydrate before a workout. You might want to try it with some lean meat, a boiled egg or some good peanut butter, but that’s depending on your diet.

Smoothies
A simple pre -workout smoothie works really well. I would recommend trying half a cup of natural yoghurt with a medium size banana or other fruit for different flavours.

Peanut Butter
A small amount (1 or 2 teaspoons) of good quality peanut better in most cases will be fine before a workout. My favorite is a brand of peanut butter called Meridian, which has no added salt or sugar, the ingredients are just peanuts. It has a great taste and is easily available!
I normally add some peanut butter to some of the foods listed above.

I hope we’ve given you some ideas of types of foods and some quick and easy foods to have before your workout.
I hope it makes your workout session more productive!